Reversing-switch for elevator-motors.



J. E. THOMPSON & C; W. JAMESONR Revensm SWITCH FR ELLEvAToR MOTORS.

` APPLICATION FILED NO'V. I. I9I5.

Patentd Jan. 8; V1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Ill l I IIIIIIII" III I,

, im n 7 Y J.' @THOMPSON & c. W.IAMES0N.

REVERSING SWITCH FDRLEVJAITOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED NDV. I. 1915.1

Patented Jan.` 8, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J..E. THOMPSON 6L C. W. JAMESON.

mevsnsme swlTcH For: EL'EVMDR Mamas.` APFLICATON FILED NOV. l1 |915.

1,252,739. Patented Jan. 8,1918.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` fan UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. THOMPSON AND CLARENCE W. JAMESON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THOMPSON & JAMESON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

REVERSING-SWIIOH FOR ELEVATOR-MO'IOR'S.

Indication of Letters Patent.

' Patented Jan. 8 1918.

Application led November 1, 1915. Serial No.` 59,144.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN E. THOMPSON and CLARENCE W. JAMESON, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Chicago, Cook county,` Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Reversing-SWitches for Elevator- Motors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electrical switches and has more particular reference to improvexnents in switches for controllingthe circuits ofelectric motors, such as elevator' motors and the like. i zx One of the objects of our invention is to provide an improved reversing or controlling switch of this character which will be simple. durableand reliable in construction and eifective and etlicient' in operation.

Other objects of our invention will appear hereinafter.

Our invention consists in the features of novelty exemplified in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of'a switch structure embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the reverse side or `face of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on the line '3 3 of rig. 1.

Figff is a section substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. `1.

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5--5 [of Fig. 1.

` a panel or plate A of slate orsui-tablematerial, this panel being supported inupright position on aframe B consisting of, the up-v rights B1 and horizontal base member B2 having feet B3. On this panel A -1"s a plu rality of main switches C and smaller switches D by vwhich the circuits of the motor are controlled. In this structure there are two main switches C on each side of the panel, arranged to operate toward and from the face thereof. Each switch is made in two arms; or sections-1 and 2, the section 2 being pivoted at 3 on the other sectlon 1 so as to permit of a relative movement of the sections. The section or arm 2 normally lies flat against the arm or section 1 but can swing outwardly away from said arm 1. The arm 1 is pivoted near its lower end to a. supporting bracket 5. Its lower end however extends below the pivotal point and between said lower end and the lower end of arm or section 2 is a `yielding connection. This is 'in the form of a spiral spring 8, which is positioned on a bolt 9 between an adjustable nut 10 on the bolt, and the arm 2. The bolt'is fastened to the end-of the arm or section 1 and extends through an opening in the arm 2. This spring` thus tends to yieldingly maintain the arms or sections of the switch in Atheir closed or normal relation. The upper ends of the switch arms or sections 1 carry contact memberslL which, in the present structure, are in the form of cylindrically shaped blocks of carbon or other suitable material. These contact members may lie-fastened in any manner desired tothe ends of the arms, but in this structure the arms are provided with concave or yokeshapedportions forming seats for he contact members 11. The contact members are clamped or fastened in their seats by bolts 12 which extend through the members 1v1 and are screwed into the upper ends of the arms. These bolts carry at their upper ends small curved clamping members 13 which embrace a portion ofthe carbon blocks. This constructionmakes it possible to conveniently renew the contact members or blocks 11 without disassembling the switch structure. The contacts 11 of the main switches coperate or contact with similarly shaped carbon blocks'14 when the switches are swung toward the panel. These fixed contact members 14 are abutted against the supporting panel and they are supported in fixed brackets or members 15 in the manner similar tothe carbon blocksll. In this alinement, and their supporting brackets are held in place by common bolts 16 which pass through the suppoi'ting panel. The supporting brackets have extensions 17 which lie fiat against the panel and which preferably terminate adjacent the u per edge of the supporting panel. The en s of theextensions 17 on opposite sides of the panel are fastened by the single bolt 18, and these bolts form'terminals to which conductors may be connected.. In this manner two terminals are formed at the upper edge of the panel', and each terminal is common to corresponding fixed contacts 14 on opposite sides of the panel. The circuit, being closed and opened at the abutting ends of the fixed contact 14 and their respective corresponding contacts 11 on the switches, renders these contact members subject to considerable arcing especially when the circuit is broken. But in order to .eliminate and render ineffective the arcing which occurred at these points we provide suitable magnetic blowout devices. These blow-out magnets 2O are positioned preferably above the edge of the supporting panel and each magnet 20 is common to the two corresponding switches on oppositefsides of the panel. The pole pieces 21 of these magnets, as shown in the drawings, are positioned at. the end of and support said magnets. They are U-sliaped in structure `so as to straddle thel upper edge of the panel to which they are fastened by the boltsor screws 22. The lower ends 23 of these pole pieces are extended laterally so as to bring themA into proper relation to the contact areas of the switches, and their faces 94 are curved to conform substantially to the curvature ofl the 4cylindrical contact pieces. They are thus arranged so as to, maintain a field of magnetic iux across the gap when the switches are closed or opened and thus effectually blow-clit or eliminate the arcs `which otherwise are-'likely to occur and damage the contact. Between the main switches on one side of the panel we provide a. plurality of smaller switches D which, as hereinafter explained, control the circuits forhe shunt winding of the motor and the circuit of the accelerator solenoid. These switches are preferably constructed in identically the sa-me manner asxtlie larger switches just described and need no further description' as to structure. -Switches of the character to which our invention'relates are especially, though not; necessarily, adapted to the control of elevator motors, and they are arranged to reverse the circuit in such manner '..s to change the direction of -travel of the elevator. These switches are usually located .adjacent the elevator shaft and are actuatediiy controlling membersY or Wheels in the ear through the mediu'n of cables;4 Between the groups of switches on each side of the supporting panel we provide an' operating shaft 25 supporting in bearings in the frame and having a plurality of cams arranged to operate the switches when the shaft is rotated. This shaft is connected by cables or other suitable mechanism (not shown) so that it may be rotated in either direction by the controlling levers in the car corresponding to the direction of travel of the car. Each pair of main switches (and by pair in the present structure we refer to the correspondingly opposite switches on opposite sides of the supporting panel) has associated with it a common operating cam 2G. This cam being positioned between the lower ends of the switches below their pivotal points and keyed to the shaft so as to be rotated thereby. The lower ends of the sections or arms 2 of each switch of the pairs have anti-friction rollers 2T which in this structure lie in the plane of its respective cam and which rides on the periphery thereof. These cams are so arranged that when the shaft is rotated in either direction they will exert the l'ateral thrust on the lower ends of the arms 2 of the switches and swing or close said switches about their pivotal points. into engagement with the fixed contacts 14, as shown inA dotted lines Ain reached the peaks'of the cams and in consequence continued rotation of the cams will swing the sections 2 about their pivots and against the resistance of the spiral springs 8, thus holding the switches in yielding engagement with their fastened contacts. After the switches have been closed, however, and. the, rollers have reached the. peaks of the cams further rotation of the cam will have no particular effect on the switches-ex- Thus these switches embodyingour invention can be 'adapted to various types and styles of elevator-s in which the throw of the controlling levers vary. For instance the throw or extent of movement of the controlling levers in an elevator might have been designed for the control of sorne other type of reversing switch, and might be greater than thatrequired for a switch of our invention. It will be observed, however, 4 that our improved structure 1s adapted to 4 such controlling lever 'because although the throw of the lever might be greater than that required to close the switch of our structure, the unrestricted rotation of which the shaft is capable will not haveV the effect of interfering with the throw or extent of movement of said controlling lever. smaller' switches D, on one side of the panel The l as we have before mentioned, are adapted in thisl particular structurele control the circuit of the motorshunt winding and the solenoid of an accelerator. These circuits, and particularly the shunt winding of the motor, should, of course, be closed before the armature circuit is closed and should be opened or broken after the armature circuit is opened. And we provide cams 30 on the operating shaft for actuating the smaller switches D in the same manner as the cams of the larger switches. These cams, however, are arranged so that thesmall switches D will be closed in either direction of rotation of the shaft; that is when either the main switches C on one side of the panel or those on the other side are closed. We furthermore proportion the cams and so time them that they will close theV small switches Dan instantcbefore the main switches are closed and will accordingly allow them to `open an instant or so after the main. switch I `is open, so that the motor shunt winding c1rcuit will be closed before and will remain closed for a `period after the closure and opening of the main switches. In order to guard against any possibility of the main switches on one side of the panel sticking or failing to open when the switches on the other side thereof are closed we provide an interlocking or Vsafety arrangement which in the present construction consists of rods or `members 35 extending loosely through openings inthe panels. These rods are positioned between and substantially in the plane of the switches of 'each pair and one of their ends is pivotally connected as at 36 to one of the switches of the pairs and their other ends are arranged to abut against the other switch of the pairs on the opposite side of the panel. These rods or members are long enough so that when the main switches on one side of the board .or

f panel are being closed the rods will force the switches on the opposite side of the first mentioned switches are positively closed. This arrangement provides against i the switches or any of them on bothrsides of the boards being in closed position simultaneously, even though any of said switches should stick or otherwise fail to open. Of course in the ordinary operation of the structure the heavier above their pivotal points and return to open position by the action of gravity when the operating cam is rotated sufficiently to permit them to return. The supporting brackets 5, in which the switches are pivotally mounted, and which we have before mentioned, are mounted on .he insulating panel by suitable bolts. In order to avoidthe current passing through the hinge or pivotal connections of theswitch a fiexible cable or conductor l is used, one end switches are considerablyl of which is fastened to the switchlarm 1 and the other end to the bracket 5. The brackets` 5 have extensions or ears 37 preferably integrally formed therewith but disposed at one side thereof considerably to one side of the plane in which the switches of a pair are mounted, and these extensionsor ears 37 are secured to the panel by bolts 38 and 39, thus firmly holding the brackets in position. These extensions 37 serve as conductors for the current and the upper bolts 39 may also be arranged to serve as binding posts to which conductors may be'connected. By disposing the ears or extensions 37 in this manner we are enabled to mount the switches of Vthe pair in the same plane and still provide a firm mounting for the brackets and terminals for each individual switch, 1

suitably insulated by me .ns of the supporting panel from all other switches.

It is obvious that any suitable circuit ar-V H, respectively. This. reversing switch 1s ,y

also shown as beingcmnectedl and operable in congunction with an accelerator represented diagrammatically at J and of the type` which constitutes the subject matter 'of our co-pending application, Serial No. 54,625, filed October amount of resistance R in thelmotor circuit for the purpose of governing the speed of the motor in the well known way. y It has a plurality of pairs of contacts K, each pair of which are bridged by a suitable switch, as described in our co-pending application above mentioned. This accelerator also has an operating solenoid L for successively closing the switches which bridge the contacts K. A. suitable source of current is represented by the line 4conductors 40 and 41.1 The line conductor 41 is connected to one of the common terminals 18 connected with the fixed contacts of the main switches. The other line conductor 40 extends to and is connected to a binding'post 42 of the accelerator K. The other terminal 18 is con- -nected by the conductor 43 to one terminal winding H of the motor in series with the motor armature circuit while there is any 1915. This accelerator is n adapted to gradually cut out or decrease the resistance left in the circuit when the accelerator bridges kits. last pair of contacts i K. The compound winding of a motor is shortcireuitedi One terminal of the motor armature F is connected by conductor 46 l to a binding post 47 on the upper corner of .the panel, aiid the other terminal of the armature is connected by a conductor 47 to another binding post 4S on the panel. The binding' post 47 is connected with a conductor 49 which leads to the terminal 39' of the board.- The, terminal 39 kis also connected b of a switch C on the opposite side of the board. Thus it is obvious that when the two switches C on one side lof the panel A are closed ythe current will traverse the motor armature circuitin one direction and when these switches are open and the two switches on the 4opposite side of `the panel are. closed the current will traverse the armature circuit in the opposite direction. Inthis mannerthe current traverses the armature circuit in either direction depending upon which set of switches are closed, and the closure of these switches are, of course, controlled by the operator in the ear, as hereinbefore explained. The bracket 5 in whichthe smaller switches D are piv-- otally mounted is' common to both of these switches and is fastened to the panel `by means of the bolts 55 which serve as binding posts or terminals. These terminals are both connected by a conductor 56 to the" bracket which serves the fixed contact for one pair ofthe main switches D, and in this manner are connected directly to thev line conductor 41. The binding post Dof the fixed contact of one of these smaller switches is connected by conductor 57A to one terminal of the motor shunt winding G, the other y terminal of which is connected by a conductor 58 to aA binding post 59 of the accelerator. This binding post is 'connected by conductor -60 tothe line 40 so that when switch D is closed the shunt winding G of the motor will be bridged across the line in the usual Way. The binding post D2 of the lixed contact of the other switch D is connected by conductor 61 to a.binding post 62 of the accelerator and to this binding post is connected'one terminal of the accelerator operating solenoid L, the other terminal of which is connected by conductor 63 to the binding post 59,v so that this solenoid when its circuit is closed by the small switch D, isalso bridgedr across the line.

The two blow-out magnets 20 are connected al conductor to the terminal 39 bridged across the line. We have sliownan ordinary knife switch G5 by which the apparatus may be connected with or disconnected from thesoui'ce of power as desired. l It will be obvious to one skilled in thek art, after having obtained an understanding of our invention' from the disclosures herein made, that our invention is capable of modification without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

l/Vhat we claim as our Vinvention is:

1. The combination of a supporting panel having iixed contacts on each side thereof, a plurality of' pivoted switches arranged in pairs on opposite sides of said panel movable toward and from said contacts, and. a rotary cam mechanism positioned between the switches of the pairs for closing them against their respective contacts.

2. The combination of a supporting pane] having fixedv contacts on each side thereof, a plurality of pivoted switches oneach side of said panel, movable toward and from said contacts, cam` mechanism for closing thein against their respective contacts, and means operable'to move the switches on one side of said panel away from their contacts when the switches on the other side close against their contacts.

The combination of a supporting panel, pivotally mounted switches disposed on cach side of said panel, a cam shaft disposed between tlie switches, and cams on said shaft rotatable into engagement with the switches to close the switches on either but not both sides of said panel, depending upon the direction of rotation of said cams.

4. The combination of a supporting panel, pivotally mounted switches disposed on each side of said panel, a cam shaft. disposed between the switches, cams on said'shaft operable to close the switches on either but not both sides of said panel, and rods extending through the panel and operable to force. the switches on leither side of said panel open when the switches on the other side close. 1

5. In a `reversing switch of the class described, the combination of a pair of movable switches, rotary cam'mechanism'po sitioned therebetween operable to close one of said switches in one direction of rotation and the other switch in the opposite direc- 6. In a switch of the class described, the Y combination of a pair of oppositelydisposed pivoted'switch arms, a contact with which said switch arms coperate and by which the pivotal movement thereof is limited, a ro tary cam positioned .between said switches and operable to close one or the other thereof against its contact, and a. rod positioned between said switches for forcing one of said switches from said contact by the movement of the other toward said contact.

7. In a switch of the class described, the combination of a pair of oppositely disposed pivoted switch arms,a contact with which said switch arms cooperate and by which the pivotal inoveinent thereof is limited` and means operable by the closure of one of said switches for opening the other of said switches. I

8. rl`l1e combination of a supporting member, a plurality oi pairs of switches mounted on said supporting member, the switches of cach pair being disposed on opposite sidcs ot' said supporting member, contacts for each pair of switches common to the switches of the pair and conductors connecting a switch of one `pair on one side of the supporting member with a switch of another pair on the opposite side of said ysupportingzg member, an actuating arm positioned between and common to the switches of each pair, and means for actuating simul said supporting member.

9. 'l' he combination of a supporting panel, a switch disposed on each side of said panel land movable toward and from thepanel in the saine plane, brackets outstanding from the panel for pivotally supporting said yswitcliesin the saine plane, extensions on said brackets offset laterally in opposite directions with respect to the plane of. operation of said switches, and bolts for securing the extension of one of said brackets to the panel independently of the other brackets and its extension.

10. The combination of avertically disposed supporting panel, fixed contacts disposed on opposite sides of said panel and in alinement, movable switches mounted on opposite sides of said panel and adapted to cooperate with said contacts, and a blowout magnet common to both of said switches ositioned adjacent said fixed contacts and aving a pole-piece at each end of said magl net, each pole-piece being divided to extend to the gaps between each of said fixed cony tacts and their respective switches.

` 11. The combination of a vertically disposed supporting panel of insulating material, a plurality of switch arms pivotall mounted on each side of said panel, yiel able arms pivotally mounted on said switch arms, a cam shaft disposed substantially in the plane of said supporting panel, a plurality of cams on said shaft, each cambeof the switches and close said switches.

12. The combination of an upright supporting panel, a switch pivoted on each side otl said panel and having a extension, a rotary cam positioned said extensions and ,operable to engage one extension or the other in accordance with its direction of rotation to actuate said switches,a fixed contact on each side of said panel adapted to be engaged by the switch, whereby to cause, said extension to yield, and means for rotating said cam.

13. The combination of an upright supporting board,` oppositely disposed switches pivotaily mounted on opposite sides of said supporting board'and comprising yieldably related sections, a contact on said supporting board for each switch adapted to be engaged by one of' the sections of the switch, and a cam positioned between said switches ielding etweeir sov and arranged to engage the other section of the Switch.

14. The combination of an upright supporting board, oppositely disposed switches pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said supporting board and comprising yieldably 4related. sections, a contact on said supporting board for each switch adapted to be engaged byone of the sections of the switch, a cam positioned between said switches and. arranged to engage the other section of the switch, and means between said switches operable to nieve one of the switches away from its contact by the movement of theerated.

Signed b us at Chicarro, Illinois. oHN E. TiioMrsox. CLARENCE W. JAMESON. ivitnesses:

Aan' JEIILE, MARGARET HAMILTON. 

